90 Easy Self-Care Ideas You Can Do At Home

Hands up if you could really do with some self-care right about now! Yeah, me too! We’re living in a period of great uncertainty right now. Many of us are needing to embrace a new normal but I think I can safely say that all of us are hoping this all blows over ASAP so we can get back to life as we know it.

Now self-care is literally anything you do to look after your own health and wellbeing and it’s kind of a big deal. So today I’m sharing 93 ideas to inspire you to fill your lockdown days with self-care.

Basic Needs

First things first, you need to make sure your basic needs are met. These might seem obvious but when your mental health is slipping, these are often the things we start neglecting most.

• Have a bath or shower
• Exercise
• Have an early night…
• Or have a lie in!
• Eat breakfast – it’s the most important meal of the day after all!
• Take your vitamins
• Take your medications
• Stay hydrated
• Eat well
• Take a nap
• Contact your doctor if you’re feeling unwell

Personal Grooming

When it comes to personal grooming, a little bit of effort goes a long way in making us feel better. So here’s a few things you could try!

• Trim your hair
• Shave your body hair
• Brush your hair regularly
• Give yourself a manicure or pedicure
• Pamper yourself with bath bombs, face masks… whatever you like!

Stress Management

Things are crazy stressful at the moment so it’s no surprise that we’re all feeling a bit more anxious than normal. Here are a few things you can do to relieve stress and get support.

• Watch a funny movie or TV show
• Create an uplifting playlist and listen to it
• Call a support helpline if you need to
• Join an online support group
• Practise mindfulness
• Tell someone you trust how you’re feeling
• Watch a funny YouTube video
• Watch a stand up comedy show
• Reach out for support from your peers
• Pay attention to what causes you stress or anxiety
• Set boundaries to limit your exposure to sources of stress and anxiety

Get Creative

Like many others, I find creative projects can really help put a spring back in my step when I’m not feeling fantastic. So here are a handful of creative things you can try!

• Start a blog or vlog
• Draw/doodle
• Paint
• Scrapbook
• Look for craft/project inspiration on Pinterest
• Make something!
• Build something with LEGO
• Take some photos
• Do some colouring
• Create a playlist
• Sing or play musical instruments – even do some DJing!

Other Hobbies To Try

If you’re not feeling creative but want to find something to do, you’re in luck because there are literally hundreds of hobbies out there! Here’s just a select few:

• Bake a cake
• Try out some new recipes
• Slow cook a meal
• Read a book
• Join a virtual book club
• Read a magazine or comic
• Listen to an audiobook
• Listen to a podcast
• Do some gardening – indoors or outdoors
• Do a jigsaw puzzle
• Try to complete a sudoku

Social

Our social needs are definitely not being met at the moment but there are plenty of ways that you can get in some human connection every day.

• Talk to friends and family by video chat
• Call your loved ones
• Send letters in the post
• Play a game with those in your household
• Play an online game with family or friends who don’t live with you
• Talk to your pets
• Spend time playing with your children
• Snuggle up on the sofa
• Have a family movie night…
• …or a date night!
• Throw an indoor picnic

And on the flip-side, here are some self-care ideas for dealing with social media:

• Have a social media detox
• Unfollow or mute anyone who makes you feel stressed or anxious
• Follow good news accounts 

Wellbeing

So how can we prioritise and look after our wellbeing right now?

• Start a journal
• Spend some time outside if you can (okay, this one is not really “indoors”)
• Enjoy a drink on your doorstep or in your garden
• Meditate
• Spend an hour alone
• Yoga
• Practise gratitude every day/week
• Observe nature wherever you are – what do you see, hear, smell?
• Pray or practise religion or spirituality
• Positive affirmations
• Set intentions or goals

Love Your Home

I know that you’re probably fed up of the same four walls at this point but your home should be your haven. So here are a few things you can do to make your home feel like a more inviting and relaxing place to be:

• Light a scented candle
• Open the windows in the morning
• Make your bed
• Declutter
• Get cleaning!
• Open all the curtains to let sunlight into your home
• Organise your photos – digital and prints
• File away your paperwork
• Rearrange your living spaces
• Stay on top of housework as much as possible

Personal & Professional Development

Finally let’s look at personal and professional development. Learning new skills and developing existing ones is an area of self-care that isn’t mentioned as often as say candlelit bubble baths but it’s still super important. 

I’ve also included a few ideas here that focus more on personal finances and creating financial security. (I think we could all do with some of that right now!)

• Learn a new language or skill
• Take an online course
• Read a non-fiction book about something that interests you
• Update your CV and LinkedIn
• Read a personal development book…
• …or attend a webinar!
• Learn how to budget your finances
• Set a new budget if money gets tight
• Take out insurance
• Start saving if you can!

Phew! There you have it, a nice long list of self-care ideas to help get you through this dark time in our lives.

What do you like to do for self-care? Let me know in the comments below!

Featured Image: Burst from Pexels